Air-valve for ships.



No. 78,834. Patented Nov. [8, I902. I T. S. BAILEY.

AIR- VALVE FOR SHIPS.

(Application filed. Dec. 28, 1901.)

(No Model.)

. 425M, M112 5mm 2 H 61mm,

1-: uonms P212035 00. Puma-Luna. wAsmw'rou. n cilnrrnp drains THEODORUSS. BAILEY, OF

PATENT @FFICE.

ELIZABETH, NEWV JERSEY.

AIR-VALVE FOR SHIPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 713,834, dated November18, 1902.

Application filed December 28, 1901. Serial No. 87,544. (No model.)

To all whom ntwg concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORUS S. BAILEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Air-Valves for Ships, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to air-valves which are adapted for use in shipshaving a double bottom, the space between the bottoms being divided intocompartments which areintended to be filled and emptied as occasion mayrequire, the structure of the valve being such that the air is permittedto pass freely in either direction; but the water is checked by theautomatic closure of the valve.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure l is atransverse section througha ship having a double bottom, said bottomalso beingshown insection with the airvalvesin position. Fig. 2 is aperspective view showing the interior of a Vessel, the double bottomappearing in section. Fig. 3 is atransverse section through the centerof the valve. Fig. 4: is a section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3looking downwardly. Fig. 5 is a plan view, and Fig. 6 a side elevation,of the baffle-plate.

In the construction of ships it is desirable to provide the same with adouble bottom, the space between the bottoms being divided so as to forma series of compartments. These compartments are useful not only as ameans of safety for the ship in case the lower bottom should be knockedin, but as a means for storing Water ballast or reserve feed-water.IVhen it is desired to fill the compartments with water, the same isadmitted in any suitable manner, the air escaping through the valve asthe water enters. iVhen the compartment is filled, the inflow of watermust be checked, else it will overflow the hold or compartment above thedouble bottom. It sometimes happens also that the side of the vessel isbroken in above the double bottom and below the water-line, in whichcase the water runs in and floods the hold. It will be evident thatmeans should be provided for preventing the entrance of this water intothe double-bottom compartments.

My improved valve is so designed that it will permit the escape of theair from the compartment as the same is filling, butwill automaticallyclose when the compartment is full. It is also designed to automaticallyclose and prevent the entrance of water from an upper into a lowercompartment.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 representsthe hull of a ship or vessel which is provided with a double bottom,(shown at 2 and 3,) 3 being the inner bottom plating, and 2 the outsideor shell plating. The space between 2 and 3 is divided transversely bypartitions 4 4, and the space is also divided longitudinally at thecenter by a partition 5, said partitions dividing the space into aplurality of compartments.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the valves are indicated at 6 and are shown as fastenedto the inner bottom plating or compartment-top, at the highest pointthereof, so that all of the air may escape and the compartment beentirely filled. The valve, which is shown enlarged in Fig. 3, is doublein structure, the two parts being practically alike and occupying thetwo branches of an inverted-U-shaped pipe or casing 7, the said branchesbeing preferably cast together. The pipe is screw-threaded at its lowerend in order to secure the same to a flange 8, which is attached to theinner bottom 3 in any suitable manner. At some distance above the plate8,,nearthe turn in the pipe, the latter is provided with valve-seats 9and 9 for the valves 10 and 10, said valves being secured to verticalvalve-stems 11. These stems are held in their proper position in theaxis of the pipe 7 by the spider-plates 12 and 13, said plates beingscrew-threaded on their outer surfaces to engage with correspondingthreads on the interior of the pipe 7. As is shown in Fig. 4c and alsoindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5, these spider-plates consist of anouter rim and a plurality of radial spokes, through the center of whichthe valve stems pass, the space between the spokes permitting the air topass therethrough.

In order that the valve 10 will be lifted against its seat 9 to closethe passage through the pipe 7 when the compartment is filled, I secureto the same a float 14, which may consist of cork or a hollow vessel orany other suitable device which will float on the water.

The stem of the valve 10 is also provided with a similar float 14:, andthe arrangement of the valves is such that each will close against itsseat when the float is buoyed up by the water beneath it.

As will be understood, when the water rushes into the compartment anequal volume of air must rush out past the valves. This air would tendto lift the cork and the valve 10 to close the pipe 7 if it werepermitted to impinge against the lower surface of the former. To preventthis, the spiders 13 are each provided with baffle-plates 15, as shownmore clearly in Figs. 5 and 6 in the drawings. These plates arecontinuous circular flat disks, substantially of the same diameter asthe float 14, and this float rests upon the plate when the valves areopen. The air passing between the spokes of the spiders 13 is divertedby the baffle-plates and is turned upwardly about the sides of thefloats, so that they are not lifted from their seats until the water hasrisen high enough to float them. From this description it will be seenthat I have invented a valve which serves to permit the escape of theair from the compartment to which it is applied, which closesautomatically when the compartment is filled, which admits air into thecompartment from above as the water is pumped out, and which alsoprevents the entrance of water-from above the inner bottom in case thesame is flooded.

While the drawings show my preferred form, I desire it to be understoodthat I do not limit my invention to the specific details shown anddescribed. Furthermore, my improved valve is also applicable to tanks,&c., for use in ships under conditions similar to those deseribed forthe compartments.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device of the character described, a casing having a passagetherethrough for air, a pair of valve-seats in said casing, a pair ofindependent valves for said seats, means for automatically closing onevalve against its seat when water attempts to pass in one direction, andsimilar means for closing the other valve against its seat when waterattemps to pass in the opposite direction, both valves normallyremaining open for the free passage of air.

2. In a device of the character described, a casing, valve-seats withinsaid casing, independentlyoperating valves fitted to said seats, andmeans for automatically closing one or the other of said valves againstits seat when water attempts to pass saidvalves in either direction,said valves normally remaining open for the free passage of airtherethrough in either direction.

3. In a ship which is divided into compartments, a valve-casing securedto the inner bottom at the highest point thereof, a valve in said casingfor permitting the passage of air but preventing the outflow of watertherethrough from the compartment, and a second valve which also permitsthe passage of air, but prevents the inflow of water into thecompartment.

4:. In a device of the character described, an inverted-U-shaped casing,valve-seats opening downwardly in said casing, one in each branchthereof, valves fitted to said seats and adapted to close against thesame, and floats .secured to each of said valves so that the valves willbe lifted by a liquid to prevent the same from flowing through thecasing in either direction.

5. In a device of the character described, an inverted-U-shaped casing,valve seats opening downwardly in said casing, one in each branchthereof, valves fitted to said seats and adapted to close against thesame, valvestems to which said valves are secured, spiders securedwithin the casin g through which the stems loosely pass and by means ofwhich the valves are centrally positioned with respect to thevalve-seats, and floats secured to each of said valves so that thevalves will be lifted by a liquid to prevent the same from flowingthrough the casing in either direction.

6. In a device of the character described, an inverted-U-shaped casing,valveseats opening downwardlyin said casing, one in each branch thereof,valves fitted to said seats and adapted to close against the same,floats secured to each of said valves so that the valves will be liftedby a liquid to prevent the same from flowing through the casing ineither direction, and baffle-plates adapted to normally prevent thefloats from being lifted by the air passing through the casing.

7. In a device of the character described, an inverted- U-shaped casing,valve seats opening downwardly in said casing, one in each branchthereof, valves fitted to said seats and adapted to close against thesame, floats secured to each of said valves so that the valves will belifted by a liquid to prevent the same from flowing through the casingin either direction, and baffle-plates secured to too the lower spidersand upon which the lower ends of the floats normally rest, saidbaffleplates serving to prevent the air from closing the valves.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

TI-IEOD ORUS S. BAILEY.

Witnesses:

W. H. RYAN, P. J. RYAN.

